LIfe's Little Surprises
by Lisa Anne1
Summary: Post Chosen, Xander gets a little surprise one morning while in Cleveland....please r


Title: Life's Little Surprises Author: Lisa Anne  
  
Rating: G-PG..it's not going to be too violent.  
  
Summary: This is a Xander-centric story. Xander has always been my favorite character from Buffy (although I really like all of the main characters). It takes place months after "Chosen." He receives a surprise from someone. Spoilers: No spoilers.  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own any of these characters. Email: buffygal8880@yahoo.com...feel free to email me feedback!  
Happy reading kids!  
  
Life's Little Surprises-Chapter One  
  
Xander rolled over on his back and reached out to the beeping alarm clock. He shut it off and rolled back over to his side and pulled the covers over his head. Seven am? He thought to himself. How can it b e seven already? It's too early to get up.  
  
He reflected on the previous night. It was another tedious and stress-filled night on the streets of Cleveland. He and Willow took six new slayers out patrolling. The first portion of the evening went well. They slayers proved that they were well-trained and ready to use the skills they were taught. The second half of the night, however, proved to be tragic. Unknowingly, the team had stumbled upon a nest of some heavily armed vampires. The battle was long and intense. In the end, two slayers were lost. Two more than necessary. Slaying should have been second nature to them. The remaining team did not return home until well after four in the morning. Oh yeah, that's why I am tired, Xander thought to himself again.  
  
Cleveland reminded Xander of Sunnydale. Besides the whole Hellmouth thing, there were so many similarities, he couldn't count them all. As Xander trained and patrolled with these young women, it made him reflect on his teenage experiences as a friend of the slayer. Most of all it reminded him of his friend who he had to kill. Jesse turned into a vamp and Xander finished him off. There were a few slayers who had turned into vampires. Those girls thought they knew it all, Xander thought, but how much can you really know at sixteen?  
  
After ten minutes of struggling to stay awake, he climbed out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He was the only one awake in the house, which meant he was the only one in line for the bathroom.  
  
When things went to hell in Sunnydale (literally speaking), the Scoobies, plus the few slayers who survived the massacre with the First, along with Dawn, Faith, Giles and Robin left California and set out for Cleveland. Buffy contacted Angel to let him know the outcome of the battle. That was almost ten months ago. Xander sadly enough missed Sunnydale. He missed the familiarity of the town he grew up in. Luckily, he and Willow had talked their parents into leaving the town before it sunk into the earth, and probably into Hell. Both sets of parents, though confused, had listened to their children and left town. Their lives were spared. Unfortunately, Xander and his parents didn't keep in touch that much and he was all right with that. He had his family with him, his true family. Everyone he loved lived in the house he helped to build. His real family was asleep and about to awake. He loved everyone in the house with all of his heart and soul.  
  
As he picked up the soap and lathered his face, Xander thought about this. He looked at his reflection in the mirror as rinsed and dried his face. His eye patch was gone. Willow had fixed his eye that Caleb had damaged within days after the battle. He was now able to see out of both of his eyes.  
  
After drying his face, Xander stopped and stared at himself again in the mirror. He thought again about his loved ones. All of them, and then he thought of her.  
  
Anya. It had been almost ten months since he last saw her. It had been almost ten months since she was taken from him. It was almost ten months since they made love for the last time, just days before the battle, and her death. There wasn't a day in those ten months that she never crossed his mind. His girl was always on his mind.  
Thud! Thud! "Xander, hurry up! Some of us have places to go! There's a line and the bathroom downstairs is full too!" Dawn pounded on the door.  
  
Morning had come and his peaceful time in the bathroom had left. "Yeah, I'll be out in a minute Dawnie."  
  
"Do you guys want scrambled or sunny-side up?" Buffy asked as she grabbed the carton of eggs from the fridge.  
  
After the house was built, Buffy, Xander, Dawn, Willow, Giles and Andrew had taken turns doing different chores around the house. This particular morning was Buffy's turn to make breakfast for all of them.  
  
"Are you cooking?" Dawn asked as she reached in front of Willow and grabbed the orange juice.  
  
"Yep. There is nothing like starting the day off with a good home- cooked meal." Buffy smiled. "Now what do you want, scrambled or sunny- side up?" Buffy repeated.  
  
"I'm thinking, maybe, some Smart Start," Dawn answered as she got a bowl and reached for her favorite cereal.  
  
"Your loss, sis. Xander, what about you? What do you want?"  
  
Xander looked away from the newspaper. "I'm all set," answered as he sipped his coffee and placed the paper on the counter. "Nothing for me Buff, thanks. I have to go. I'm going to be late for work."  
  
Buffy looked disappointed. "I'm sad. I don't cook that horribly bad, do I?"  
  
Willow looked at her friend. "No, it's not that bad. I'll have some scrambled eggs please."  
  
Buffy cracked the eggs as she and everyone else finished their little chit chatting.  
  
"Are you all set Squirt to go to school?" Xander asked Dawn a few minutes later.  
  
"No. Is one ever ready for-" Dawn began to explain as she was cut off by the door bell.  
  
"I wonder who that is," Buffy said as she stood up and walked away from the table and towards the door.  
  
"It's probably Andrew, he went for a walk this morning. He probably left the door locked and didn't take his keys." Willow guessed.  
  
As Buffy answered the door there was silence. She didn't say anything.  
  
Everyone in the kitchen heard the door close. As Buffy walked back into the kitchen everyone looked at her but didn't say anything. Everyone was confused. Before anyone could comment on what Buffy held in her hands, Giles came down the stairs.  
  
"Morning everyone. How was-oh dear, Buffy, what is that?"  
  
Buffy, looking a little shocked, stared at the carrier in her hands. "I think it's an infant car seat."  
  
"Well, what's in it?" Xander asked as the blanket began to move around.  
  
Buffy removed the blanket. There was a young infant sleeping in the seat. The newborn infant wore an onzie with a sweater. There was an envelope between her tiny body and the side of the baby seat. There was a name written on it.  
  
"Well, uh," Buffy said as she placed the carrier on the counter. She looked at it and then looked at Xander. "I think this belongs to you."  
  
Xander was dumbfounded. "What now?"  
  
"The envelope, it has your name on it."  
  
Xander took the envelope slowly. He did not recognize the hand writing on the front. As he tore the envelope open, his jaw fell. "I don't think I am reading this right."  
  
"What does it say?" Dawn asked jumping up trying to read it.  
  
"Wil, will you read it to make sure this is right?"  
  
"Sure Xander, let me see." As Willow read the letter her mouth too fell. "I don't believe this."  
  
"What is it?" Dawn asked again. Buffy elbowed her softly and whispered to her to stop.  
  
"So this is what I think it is?" Xander asked still in disbelief.  
  
Willow nodded. "If this letter is right, yeah."  
  
"Good morning everyone. I hoped you all slept well. I'm going to the store this afternoon to pick up stuff for dinner. If you need anything let me know," Andrew announced as he too entered the kitchen. He grabbed the milk from the fridge and reached for a glass. He went to put his glass on the counter and looked up. "Holy monkeys, what is that thing?"  
  
"It's an infant Andrew," Giles sighed trying to figure out what was so shocking between Xander and the letter.  
  
"Where'd it come from?" Andrew asked almost afraid.  
  
"Well," Xander shook his head. "If this paper work is right, she is mine."  
  
Everyone looked at him confused, except Willow who had already read the letter. In unison, all of the house mates at the same time asked the question everyone wanted to know, "What? When?" ! 


End file.
